The California Highway Patrol invites California’s older drivers to attend a free Age Well, Drive Smart class to sharpen driving skills.

“When driving stops, mobility needs to continue,” said CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow. “Senior drivers deserve counsel and assistance in looking for other options.”

The CHP is continuing its promotion of the Age Well, Drive Smart program, designed to provide older drivers with the “KEYS” to driving safe and driving longer. The program was created to help families address the issue of older family members’ driving sometimes worsening over time.

According to the CHP, the state’s “older driver population is numbering about 2.9 million today.” They estimate that by the year 2020, the number will reach over four million residents age 65 and older.

The Keeping Everyone Safe grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety supports the program, which provides education for seniors to sharpen their driving skills, refresh their memories on the rules of the road, learn about average age-related physical changes and how these changes affect driving ability.

Because so much of the community relies on driving as their primary means of transportation, the CHP realizes the necessity for helpful reminders for older drivers.

“We remain steadfast in our mission to maintain and improve traffic safety and mobility for California’s older drivers,” said Farrow.

Classes are offered at local CHP offices as well as many senior centers within the community.

To attend an Age Well, Drive Smart class, contact your local CHP office; for Turlockers the closest CHP offices are Modesto 209-545-7440 and Merced 209-356-2900. Each class usually runs for approximately two hours.

For more information, visit www.chp.ca.gov.